The Use of Minor Tranquilizers With Jail Inmates

The decision of whether or not to prescribe minor tranquilizers becomes an apparent dilemma for mental health professionals working in jails. By dispensing anxiety-reducing drugs, they may help the inmate cope with existing hardship conditions, but they may also contribute to drug dependency. A survey of California county jail systems revealed a general distrust of minor tranquilizers as a therapeutic modality. The authors conducted a medication-linked group therapy program in one county jail to provide an alternative to the usual policies governing use of tranquilizers.